Sequoiadendron Giganteum

Yosemite has a lot to offer as seen in famous vistas shot by Ansel Adams. One morning we took a break from these vast vistas and headed to see the giant sequoias of Yosemite. It is called Mariposa Grove and is about an hour drive from the valley where we spent a lot of time. The drive was well worth it. These trees are truly giants. Just take a look at me in the photo below. I felt as though I was walking in Wonderland.

Jeff and the Giant

As we walked up the path toward the crown jewel of the grove, we came across the “Bachelor & Three Graces.” Here is a shot of them. You can get an idea of their girth by looking at the baby tree in front of the left-most “Grace.” That baby is over six feet tall!

Check out the girth of the “Bachelor & Three Graces”

What kept striking me is not just their size (which is quite large) but their color. It is beautiful brown/orange/red color which almost glows in the morning sun. You can see the color clearly in the tree trunks in my photo above. We completed our tour of the lower Mariposa Grove with a visit to the largest tree in the park. It is called, “Grizzly Giant.” This giant is 209 feet high with a diameter of 25.5 feet at its base. And, it is over 2,000 years old.

The “Grizzly Giant” is over 2,000 years old and over 200 feet high.

So, what do you think of these trees? And, remember, it is all about the light.